Ditch gate



1954 H. E. BONANDER ETAL 7 2,697,913.

DITCH GATE Filed Aug. 27, 1951 INVENTORS JLEZBOnander 2.5.35 ckma nATTORNEYS nrron GAl'l E Harold. Emory Bonander andPet'e.A.Backman,Turlocl'r, Calif.

Application August 2'], 195-1,-Serial"No. 2435774 4 Claims. (Cl. 61-28)This'i-nvention relates to irrigation gates, and particularly to a gateof that type which is adapted to beapermanently mounted in the side wallof a ditch to control the flow of water from said ditch into a lateral.

The main object of this invention is to provide a gate of this characterhaving control means arranged so that the gate will automatically tendto maintain itself in a watertight condition when closed, and whichallows the gate to be easily opened any desired amount, and which holdsthe gate in any position of adjustment without the need of any clampingscrews or the like having to be manipulated.

Also, there is nothing in the construction of the gate, or its controlmeans, to give trouble or get out of order, and any such fit of any ofthe parts with each other as would tend to stick or freeze is avoided asbeing unnecessary.

A further object of the invention is to produce a practical ditch gateand one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which itis designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the gate in its closed position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional elevation of the gate on line 2-2of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar fragmentary view showing the gate partially openedand the holding or control members released.

4 is a fragmentary sectional plan on line 4-4 of Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryvertical section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the gate structure comprises a frame 1 which consists ofupright side channels 2 disposed in facing relation and connected at thebackside at the top by a cross beam 3, and at the bottom by an anglebeam 4, disposed with one side crossing the channels and slopingdownwardly and forwardly, as shown.

When the gate is mounted in place, the channels and the bottom beam arepreferably partly sunk in concrete, as shown at 5.

The gate itself comprises a sheet metal plate 6 extending the full widthbetween and into the channels in widely clearance relation thereto, andhaving side flanges 7 turned back to engage the rear face of thechannels on the inside with a Watertight fit. At their lower end, theplate and flanges are beveled, as at 8, to conform to the slope of themember 4 so as to provide a watertight engagement therewith when thegate is fully closed.

A top stifiening flange 9 projects forwardly from the gate plate andserves as a means to lift the gate; the latter being further reinforcedby vertically spaced, longitudinal angles 10, one of which is adjacentthe bottom of the gate. The flange 9 and angles 10 terminate short ofthe channels 2, as shown.

The gate holding means comprises a pair of vertical side strips 11disposed against the side of the channels on the front or pressure sideof the gate, and whose rear edges are adapted to flatly bear against thegate plate for its full height when the gate is closed. Each strip ismaintained in guided relation to the gate and in a position adjacent thecorresponding channel 2 by a pin 12 rigidly secured on the adjacentupright with and projectinghorizontalliy and laterally through anelongatedf-diagonal slot formed. in the; strip intermediate its: ends;

This: slot. is cut in. a direction such that the. weight of the strip'eauses it to slide; down andmearwardlly inthe mannerof. a wedge, andthus presses. the corresponding gate flange lfirmly against the?backofthechannel.

Each strip: 11 is! stabilized. byvertically spaced? lugs 14thereondisposed adjacent its rear edge. and extending? into the channel2 in: front of' the: gate- At its upper? end, which is above theframe 1,each strip: is turned for wardly' somewhat, as at 15,, and is: providedat: saidt end': with. a. lateral nrember'1l6 which? formsas liftinghandle Each strip" 111 is resilient. and. is: bowed slightly in: alaterally inward direction; so that- Will' frictionallfy" press againstthe; washer: 17' with which the corresponding: pin

12; is: equipped, while. the: ends: of: the stripbear against; thechannel. In this manner, the strips, if lifted well clear of the gate,will retain a lifted position of themselves.

In operation, when the gate is fully closed, it is only necessary tolift up on the gate to open the same, since this will also lift up onthe clamping strips 11 due to the frictional engagement therebetween.This causes said strips due to the diagonal slots 13, to move away fromthe gate sufficiently to free the same from the channels.

When the gate is opened to the desired extent, the weight of theclamping strips, if still in contact with the gate, causes them toimmediately drop and move rearwardly into clamping or wedging engagementwith the gate, holding the same in its adjusted position in thechannels.

When it is desired to close the gate, the strips 11 are lifted by themembers 16, which lifting action automatically frees the strips from thegate and allows the latter to drop. The strips are then released, and,if necessary, may be pressed into firm engagement with the gate.

It will be noted that the flanges 7 of the gate are the elements whichactually make a watertight fit With the back of the channels-and this isa feature which lends itself to such watertight fit better than widesurfaces engaging each other. In order to insure a watertight fit of thegate at the bottom with the cross beam 4, rearwardly facing verticallyrounded lugs 18 are mounted in the channels 2 to engage and exert arearward pressure or camming action on the descending gate at its lowerend.

It will also be noted that all the parts have an initially loose fitwith each other so that there is no likelihood of any part sticking orfreezing.

Additionally, it will be obvious that there is no part which is liableto get out of order or otherwise give trouble over a long period of use.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a ditch gate as sublsltantially fulfills the objectsof the invention as set forth erein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the ditch gate, still in practice such deviations fromsuch detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from thespirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. An irrigation gate including a frame having spaced uprights facingeach other and provided at the rear with flanges projecting laterallyinward, a cross member connecting the uprights at their lower end, agate extending between and freely slidable in the uprights and whenclosed engaging the cross member and said flanges with a watertight fit,vertical strips disposed at right angles to the gate laterally inward ofand adjacent the uprights and having their rear edges adapted to flatlyengage the front face of the gate for substantially the full heightthereof when the gate is closed, and means between the strips and theadjacent uprights mounting the strips for angular movement relative to avertical plane transversely of the gate so that the strips will approachand press against the gate upon downward movement of the strips, and sothat said strips will move away from the gate upon upward movement ofsaid strips.

2. A structure as in claim 1, with handlemembers on the strips at theirupper end and above the frame.

3. A structure as in claim 1, in which said mounting means comprises,for each strip, a horizontal pin on and projecting laterally from theadjacent upright, the strip having a diagonal slot through which the pinprojects.

4. An irrigation gate including a frame having spaced uprights facingeach other and each provided on one edge thereof with a flangeprojecting laterally inward, a cross member connecting the uprights attheir lower end, a gate extending between and freely slidable in theuprights and when closed engaging the cross member and said flanges witha watertight fit, vertical strips disposed at right angles to the gatelaterally inward of and adjacent the uprights and having their rearedges adapted to engage the adjacent face of the gate for substantiallythe full height thereof when the gate is closed; a horizontal pinprojecting laterally inward from each upright at a point intermediateits ends, the strips being provided with diagonal slots through whichthe pins project whereby the strips will approach and press against thegate upon movement of the strips in one direction and move away from thegate upon movement in the opposite direction; a washer on each pinlaterally inward of the adjacent strip, each strip being bowed inwardlyto frictionally press against its adjacent washer, the upper ends of thestrip frictionally engaging an adjacent portion of the uprights.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,482,836 Brubaker et a1. Feb. 1924 1,594,204 Kingham July 27,1926 1,855,100 Crill Apr. 19, 1932 2,415,332 Blackmore Feb. 4, 1947FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 549,708 Germany of 1932 304,762Italy of 1933

